Thursday, June 14, 2012

Doctor Who

Have I mentioned yet that I love Doctor Who? I took the last couple weeks and watched all of the recent seasons. I've known about it for years, but only recently got really attached to it.

I watched an episode with my dad when I was a kid.

I remember like it was yesterday. It was a Saturday afternoon. One of those rare days when my dad had the day off, and we didn't have any real plans. One those days I felt kind of dizzy. I walked around in a fog because I was so used to having every moment planned and filled, and then suddenly there was no plan. It was one of those days when lunch and dinner aren't on time and so you go to bed wondering if you ate all the right meals, but feeling full. It's such a groggy, relaxed kind of feeling.

Anyway, my dad was watching TV, so of course, I was sitting right there with him. I wanted to grow up to be like him so I had to do everything he did. He had this show on. It was black and white and I asked him what it was. He said it was Doctor Who. I sat there patiently, waiting for the story to make sense, and it never did. I just remember these weird fake looking bad guys and the Doctor and his beautiful companion fighting them off, and trying to make it back to the Tardis. (or should it be written TARDIS since it's an acronym?)

The "bigger on the inside" element escaped me apparently because I didn't bat an eye when they stepped inside the little blue box and it was an entire spaceship. Maybe I had given up trying to understand it by then. I just remember that the doctor reminded me of Gene Wilder on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (a movie that gave me nightmares).

I don't remember watching more than that one episode. I don't know if it's because my dad just didn't have time to watch it, or if it was a one day special. Maybe he watched it, but that first experience was so confusing that I wasn't interested in watching it with him again. Regardless, when it was re-released in 2005, I was oblivious. I heard about it a couple of times on late night TV, when I couldn't get to sleep and there wasn't anything good on. I heard some references to it from friends of mine, but for the most part I could only remember this strange Gene Wilder type character, a cliched pretty helper, and a confusing storyline.

All that changed when my best friend mentioned that she was watching it. Well, it was more that she was watching it, and enjoying it. This was the last straw. If she liked it, then I knew I would too. I did!

I suppose I do the same thing to a lot of people. I love them and so I want to know everything about them. I want to know what makes them tick, what interests them and why. I look for connections, and make them. If there's something that interests my best friend or my father or my husband or my children I want to experience it as well, so that there is one more bond connecting us.

What are you willing to try in order to connect on a deeper level with those you have relationship with? The Bible says, "A man that has friends must show himself friendly. (KJV)" The second part of this verse is even better. It says, "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Jesus was willing to give his life so that our sins wouldn't separate us from God. Now all we have to do is make a connection. Make an effort to know your creator, and He will show you what He loves. He will show you that what He really wants is for you to be with Him and love Him.

If you want to know more about this relationship, start reading the Bible... Start with the book of John, and then if you want to keep going read Romans. I'll warn you though, there will be things that you probably won't like. Our natural bent (also known as a sin nature) doesn't like some of what the Bible says. If you can keep in mind that God loves you, and that His greatest desire is for you to be truly happy (not just for a little while, but forever) then you will be able to see that everything written is to help you have a better connection, a better bond with God. Trust, and have patience.

Oh and you can always leave a comment and I'll answer any questions you have the best I know how.